Tara Student Represents Australia in Tennis Tournament

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Tara Student Represents Australia in Tennis Tournament

Minasan, kon’nichiwa.

During the last two weeks of Term 3, Zoé Guestre (Year 8 Crawford), was high up in the mountainous region of Yamanashi Prefecture, Japan playing tennis for the Australian Junior Tennis Tour team at the Senko Cup. This was the inaugural event for this competition and each player won their right to be on the team through a variety of round robin tournaments during the year and a finals play off in July.
The Australian team comprised of 12 players across the U11, U13 and U15 age groups for both boys and girls. There were 6 countries represented – Japan, China, USA, Thailand, India and of course Australia with over 70 players competing in both individual and team events.
Zoé wore her Tara baseball cap with pride every day and fought hard and tough for every point. The standard of tennis was high and at times very challenging - but Zoé did not waiver and put on a brave face amid gruelling conditions. Zoé won some sets, lost some matches, fist pumped her way through some strategic play and throughout met her compatriots with fairness and equality.

Playing tennis with Mount Fuji as your backdrop was just the icing on the cake!

Zoé demonstrated the true Tara spirit by embracing the opportunity for comradeship and cross-cultural connections by presenting each one of her opponents at the start of every match with a koala keyring and Aussie animals chocolate as a sign of friendship and unity. In return she was embraced by all her opponents who found her Aussie spirit infectious and raced to have their photograph taken with her.

The competition was held at a hotel and tennis resort so all competitors ate, played and slept in the same complex and this contributed to a very friendly and raucous atmosphere. Evening entertainment ranged from BBQ’s and fireworks to lucky dips – and the last evening had the girls dress up in traditional Yukata and everyone smashing melons with a wooden samurai sword. It really brought everyone together, friendships were made, phone numbers swapped and language barriers broken.